CHARLESTON — Alexandra Cousteau, award-winning filmmaker, National Geographic Explorer and granddaughter of the late Jacques Cousteau, is coming to Charleston on Thursday, Nov. 13. She will be the first in a series of guests who will appear in the Chancellor’s Speaker Series over the next few months.

Cousteau’s presentation, “How to be a Lifelong Explorer: Leadership through the Lens of Exploration & Invention,” will take place at 7 p.m. on Nov. 13 at the West Virginia Culture Center Theater. The event is free and open to the public.

The Chancellor’s Speaker Series is organized by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission’s Division of Science and Research with support from a federal grant from the National Science Foundation. Organizers said that the goal of the series is to promote the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields in West Virginia.

Dr. Jan Taylor, director of the Division of Science and Research, said, “By bringing nationally-renowned speakers, such as Alexandra Cousteau, to the state, we hope to connect a broad audience with fascinating science topics and the people who are passionate about them.”

“Through this speaker series and inspirational individuals, we hope to highlight science and innovation as the bedrocks of a thriving economy — and as an exciting, promising path toward a bright future for our young people,” said Dr. Paul Hill, chancellor of the Higher Education Policy Commission.

Taylor said that Cousteau continues the work of her renowned grandfather and will bring the audience of this event on a story-telling journey from her earliest memories with her grandfather teaching her to scuba dive to her many adventures today.

“She will also provide a unique perspective on how important it is to be not only a curious observer of the world but also an active participant in its preservation,” Taylor said.

While the event is free, the Division of Science and Research requests courtesy RSVPs at wvresearch.org.

The Division of Science and Research directs the EPSCoR program in West Virginia, while also managing other state and federally-funded academic research programs in the state. It provides strategic leadership for infrastructure advancement and development of competitive research opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines.